Upupa epops is a widespread breeder across much of the southern half of Europe, which accounts for less than a quarter of its global breeding range. Its European breeding population is large (>890,000 pairs), and was stable between 1970-1990. Although the species was stable across much of Europe during 1990-2000, several populations suffered declines, most notably the sizeable one in Turkey, and the species probably underwent a moderate decline (>10%) overall. Consequently, this previously Secure species is now provisionally evaluated as Declining.

Occurs in open woodland, pastures, orchards, sand-heathland, parkland, farmland, also seppe and broken ground. In Africa occurs also in dry and wooded savanna. Favours short-grass or bare ground, with scattered trees or cliffs to holes for roosting and nesting.

Breeds January-May in Palearctic, August-Jan in Africa, and January-June in Malay Peninsula. In Southern areas double brooded. Monogamous, solitary and territorial breeder. Nest is built in natural hole in stump, tree, wall, old building or cliff. Unlined or slightly lined. 5-8 eggs in Palearctic and 4-7 in tropics. incubation by female for a period of 16-18 days. Nestling downy in first 3-5 days, later covered in long spiny quills. First breeding at 1 year.

Diet mostly large insects and their larvae and pupae, also small vertebrates: lizards, snakes, frogs, and geckos. Usually forages alone, or pairs feed in close proximity. Forages mostly on ground, digging and probing with bill in soft earth, also turns over leaves and other debris.

This species has a large range, with an estimated global Extent of Occurrence of 1,000,000-10,000,000 km². It has a large global population, including an estimated 1,800,000-3,500,000 individuals in Europe (BirdLife International in prep.). Global population trends have not been quantified; there is evidence of a population decline, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population decline criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e. declining more than 30% in ten years or three generations). For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

Migratory in northern parts of range, partially migratory to resident elsewhere. Nominate epops, breeding in all west Palearctic except Egypt and southern Algeria, winters in small numbers in North Africa and Mediterranean basin, only exceptionally further north. Probably most European migrants winter in Africa south of Sahara, where not distinguishable in the field from local senegalensis. Migration (much of which nocturnal) occurs on broad front across Europe and Mediterranean, and probably across Sahara also. Migration seasons notably protracted. Autumn dispersal spans mid-July to late October or even into November; normal termination period masked by overwintering in southern breeding areas. Begin arriving south of Sahara in second half of August, with main arrivals there September-October. Return movement detected from early February in Morocco and Malta; at peak mid-March to April, tailing off during May. In Britain and Ireland, recorded in every month but chiefly in spring, with marked peak April-May; autumn records peak September; spring records involve overshooting in anticyclonic weather and arrivals in overcast conditions with fronts moving into English Channel and North Sea. Individuals of the dark east Palearctic race saturata apparently occur regularly in Sweden in autumn, perhaps as a result of reversed migration, some remaining through winter.

article number 1 Title
Recording of Hoopoes Upupa epops by means of audio playback in the conditions of Latvia: a preliminary evaluation
Author(s): Viesturs ?erus
Abstract: Playback is often used to improve recording of birds and therefore to gain more precise data on their numbers and distribution. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential suitability of this ..[more]..
Source: Acta Universitatis Latviensis, 2005, Vol. 691, Biology, pp. 7-15
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